This year, the star of college basketball is Caitlin Clark, a woman who is changing everything about the game — from the way it’s played, to its economics, to who is watching. 

The pandemic kicked off a dramatic rise in homeschooling. And who had the largest increase? Black families. In this episode, Cornish talks with two parents who chose to homeschool their children, Carlos Birdsong and Sherri Mehta. They talk about what it’s like to be a part of the Black homeschooling movement, how they’re altering the public image of homeschooling, and whether they see themselves as part of the “parents' rights” movement.

Cheers was a sitcom hit in the 80s thanks to a theme tune promising that the fictional bar was a place “where everybody knows your name”. Venues like pubs – away from our homes and workplaces – are vital for building our social networks and making our lives richer, easier and more fun. But these so-called “Third Places” are in danger. Neighborhood hangouts are closing and membership of clubs, associations and unions is falling. Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam has been watching this worrying decline across a lifetime and warns that we need to act before it’s too late.

Guest Jessica Pan hated social gatherings – she cried when her friends threw her a surprise birthday party, and was even too scared to give a speech at her own wedding. Jessica was a hardcore introvert – and it was making her sad. Extroverts find it easier to experience the joy that comes with social interactions – but that doesn’t mean introverts are doomed to lives that lack such fun. Research suggests introverts can learn to enjoy being more outgoing. 

Disordered eating is more pervasive and problematic than many acknowledge. This week, special guest Erin Harrop tells us about one of America's most under-diagnosed and misunderstood problems.